The Strength of Sacrifice
by Kilalafriend
Summary: In a span of breath, so much can change. A whisper of love, a sigh of agitation, or the last breath of a loved one.


A/N: So this came to mind and has been annoying me to be written, so much in fact that I haven't been able to concentrate on any of my other stories. I hope you enjoy; I haven't decided if I want to continue it or leave it as a one shot. Let me know your thoughts.

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She had been strong for so long, she had forgotten what it was like to lean on someone for help, to have them be the strong one instead. She knew now that she would never get that chance again. Everything seemed to happen within the span of a single breath; the way fear shot through her like lightning when she looked over to the boy she considered her brother, maybe even son. How she barely registered knocking the man before her unconscious as she frantically made her was to where the boy huddled bloody on the ground.

She heard the cries from her loved ones around her as they fought off the attack that had come to her dojo, but she couldn't focus on anything other than the face that had started to tilt up to where his death awaited.

She saw a flash of crimson and smudge of yellow, the two other men in her life as important to her as breathing. She heard the cry of an enraged female as Megumi held off her own attackers with the bokken she herself had given her; she never imagined what she had taught the woman would come into play.

She wondered as she ran if Sano would come to marry Megumi when she was gone, if he would be afraid of losing her and so get past his teasing to tell her how he truly felt. She wondered if Kenshin would be angry with her, if he would turn back into the battousai with what she was about to do. All meaningless thoughts at the present as she rushed to cover the boy she loved with all her heart.

Agony like hot fire shot through her as she felt her flesh part and her blood begin to flow. It became hard to breath and sweat broke out across her face as she struggled to stay conscious. With the last bit of strength that she had she twist up, the blade sliding out of her, and used the momentum to jam her elbow into his throat. As he bent over she used her bokken to hit the base of his spine and send him into the land of dreams.

Stumbling away from him she struggled to remain standing, but her strength fled and she fell to land on her side. Black seeped into her vision as she gasped for breath, the pain coursing through her body like fire. Gentle, shaking hands pulled her up so that she rested against a strong chest.

"Why Kaoru? Why would you do that?!" Anger and fear colored his voice as he held her gently to him.

"Because I love you Yahiko. You're the best brother/son I could ever ask for. I couldn't see you killed."

Tears landed on her face as the strong boy she had come to admire cried for her silently. She raised her hand up to cup his face so that his eyes focused back on her.

"No tears Yahiko, I can't stand to see my strong boy cry."

He nodded into her hand as he closed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from coming. She barely noticed the blood she had smeared onto his face and dimly wondered where it had come from. The pain was starting to fade as her body grew numb to her.

"Yahiko, I need you to listen to me." She coughed a little feeling something slide down her chin as she did so.

She saw the fear in his eyes as he watched, what she assumed was blood now that she thought about it, trail down her chin. She wondered to herself how she so calm about this, but decided that didn't matter in the greater scheme of things, she needed to say this now.

"Yahiko, under my floorboards are scrolls and documents for you and Kenshin. They are important Yahiko, you need to read them."

"Kaoru, stop talking like this you're scaring me. You're gonna be okay Kaoru, I swear."

She smiled at him then, a bright smile full of love and regret at the things to come.

"Promise me Yahiko, promise me that you will read them."

"I promise Kaoru, but you can give them to me yourself when you get better alright?"

She could feel her body grow cold, the way her thoughts started to slow, and how the world seemed dimmer. She thought it was sweet how he believed she would be okay, when she could see the blood start to pool around her, she knew her time had come.

"Tell Kenshin that I have always loved him, that I always will."

She saw how his eyes grew wide and how his head shook in a negative against her hand, his hair flying wildly as he did so.

"Tell him Yahiko, please tell him for me." He stopped when he heard the seriousness and breathiness of her voice, how her hand trembled against his cheek. Tears gathered in his eyes as he saw hers begin to dim, the blue becoming a smoky gray as she stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"I promise Kaoru, I'll tell him." His voice shook as the tears coursed down his cheeks once more, not knowing what else to say to her in that moment.

She smiled at him, her affection plain for all to see as she used the last of her strength to guide his head down and lay a soft kiss on his forehead

"I love you Yahiko; I will always be here, in your heart."

"Don't go Kaoru, please, I love you too. I promise to be a better student; I'll never call you buso again. Please don't leave me."

She grabbed his hand in hers as he cried over her and she smiled even as her heart broke for him.

"I'm sorry Yahiko, I love you…" She felt as her lungs started to drown in her blood and her breath came out in short gasps. It was hard for her to concentrate, but she pushed through the feeling so that she could look at the boy she had come to claim as her own once more.

"Can you… can you smile for me? Please… be brave for me." She whispered as her eyes dilated and her breathing picked up. She watched through a long tunnel as a watery smile broke across his lips even as his eyes screamed in terror and loss.

"Thank you… my brave… brave son…" her voice faded to nothing as the tunnel closed around her and her breath stopped.

"Kaoru? Kaoru?! Please no, Kaoru, don't leave me!" He cried as he shook her slightly, but even that stopped as he cried over her, clutching her tight to his chest. Sobs tore from his throat as the one person that accepted him for him not matter what, left him all alone. Something close to hysteria settled over him as he tried desperately to hold onto the idea that she had just passed out, that she was still going to be okay. She couldn't be gone, she had to teach him still, and get mad at him when he called her buso. She had to chase him around the grounds with her bokken, to feed him her terrible cooking, to smile in pride when he completed a difficult kata. She had to be there for him, to help him up when he fell, to make him smile when all he wanted to do was cry.

He barely heard the sounds of battle ending around him, the joking of Sano as he teased Megumi for using a bokken, the sliding of a sword back into a sheath. Terror flooded his veins as he wondered dimly what Kenshin would do and in the next breath he wished it was to kill him. He hadn't been strong enough to save himself and because of that Kaoru had used her body to shield him. His thoughts spiraled down darker and darker as he sat; barely registering that he was rocking her, and keening under his breath. It was a sound of utter devastation, completer and utter lose, and he wondered if it would ever stop.

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Hope you enjoy let me know what you think, especially if I should continue it or not


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